JVS Toronto: YouthED

http://www.jvstoronto.org/index.php?page=home

The YouthED initiative focuses on educational attainment for youth in the Jane-Finch community who are facing transition to education, employment or apprenticeships without basic literacy skills or high school equivalency qualification.

The program consists of 3 components:

1) Assessment - Before enrolling in the GED program, youth participate in an assessment with staff where they determine their learning style, identify academic strengths as well as areas to improve.

2) GED Attainment Prep - an 8-week course where youth receive training and support in math and language skills from Frontier College and York University student tutors.

3) Classroom Instruction - a 9-week course taught by York University professors in a structured learning environment, focused on language arts, social studies, math and science, which supports youth as they prepare to take the GED exam.

The initiative has also established a Youth Advisory Committee of youth participants, student tutors, TDSB representatives, community youth workers, JVS employment counsellors, and Frontier College staff. The committee focuses on the issue of student retention, addressing barriers such as poverty, lack of child-care, lack of housing, legal issues. Youth are influencing how the program will run in future.

To date, 138 youth have completed the program, improving their academic skills, and by extension, their opportunities in various facets of life. The initiative has reached more youth than originally expected - 72 per year, up from 46 in the first year. This speaks to the willingness of the young people to make a change in their lives.